MERRY CHRISTMAS!!

I can't believe that September is over!? You know that song, "wake me up when september ends"? well... I blinked and I missed it. SO.... yeah. Its crazy how time flies when you are having fun and serving the lord!

Christmas started here in September. Philippinos put their decorations up on September 1. and start singing christmas songs too. Its way fun. They call September to December "BER- months" and because it doesn't get cold her thats all the Burrr we get. haha. 

So, here in the Philippines we have two seasons. Rainy season and hot season. Which during both of the "seasons" it rains and it is hot. I can't tell, but supposedly we are in the rainy season right now. I miss being cold. With it cooling down in america right now I bet you are all getting out your coats and stuff huh. hahahah, coats, thats funny.

The other day while we were procelyting, my companion and I forgot our water bottles, well, we left them at home cause our bags were so heavy, so we stopped at a tyungy (prounoucded chungy) to get water. It was rather funny what they gave us. A bag of ice. and that was what we drank! haha, it was cool, but my hands got cold. 

The other day, one of our members has a violin and she let me play it. It was so nice!! I am already getting rusty though!! I'm not okay with that. But, I think they are going to have me play in sacrament meeting so i'll have to practice and get good again. I miss my violin. (I hope you are playing it Aunt Kim!!)

Yesterday at church there was a brown out. Meaning that they shut the power off to save energy cause they dont have enough to last or somehting. anyways, it was sooooooo hot! and someone went and got pictures of the Cebu temple and handed them out so they could fan themselves(: haha, I thought it was funny. At least everyone has a picture of the temple now!

Also, we had madamo mga investagators at chruch yesterday!! 10! It was so awesome, and we had 7 recent convertys! But, sadly, we have one recent convert who when we first got into the area he was so excited about missionary wok and he wanted all of his friends to listen to us and he was reading the book of mormon everyday! but, in the last couple of weeks, he has really changed. He has been having bible study and has stopped reading his book of mormon. We believe in the bible, but we cannot set aside the book of mormon to read the bible. That is what he has done and now his testimony is really week. this sunday he attended a different church, and his whole countance has changed for the bad because he has stopped reading his book of mormon. READ YOUR BOOK OF MORMON. gain a testimony of the book of mormon. pray to know it is true every time you read it. Don't let yourself not read it. It is devistating. My companion and I cried when we found out that he was attending anotyher church and when we found out that he doesn't believe joseph smith was a true prophet. I feel so much sorrow for him. I just want him to have the testimony that he once had.... The book of mormon is central in conversion. in LASTING convertsion.! I believe the bible to be true as long as it is translated correctly, and I also believe that you should read the book of mormon and the bible togetyher. They testify of each other and of Jesus Christ. Please, I am begging you all to read the book of mormon everyday. even if you just read dyutay lang. Just one verse a day and pray about it. Please.... The book of mormon will change your life for the better, it will make your day run so much smoother. it will bless your family. it has the power to convert you unto the Lord. Please, please, read it. 

Family, friends, strangers, whoever reads this, please read the book of mormon if you want to change your life. If you want to have a better relationship with your family, if you want to have better days, if you are feeling lonely or sad or down, if you feel like you don't have purpose, if you are looking for the truth, PLEASE. I am pleading with you with all the energy of my heart, read the book of mormon and pray about it with a sincere heart, and I promise you that you will be happier. that our loving Heavenly Father will shower you with blessings as you keep his commandments and read his words. I know that the book of mormon is truely the words of god. That they have power. that it is the most true book on the earth. I have seen, first hands, the difference in people when they read the book of mormon and when they don't. Just try it. Please.

This has been a good week, we taught a lot of lessons, and we have been preparing lots of investigators for baptisim! I love to help people. I love to watch the gospel bless their lives! It is truely a miracle! 

I love you all.

Love, your sister missionary,

Sister Young

P.S. I got letters from Grandma Young and Dad and Aunt Chris. Thank you all so much. ANd I got a dear elder from CC(: I love to hear from you all so don't stop!

rain, rain, rain

Sister Young & Sister Bitter

Most random meal ever. and this is what happens on a regular basis... spaghetti, pizza, chicken, and rice. (:

Alright, so the shift button doesn't work all the time, so if my grammer stinks....well its cause the key board. totally. not because i'm trying to learn another language or something....

remember my first investigator? brother rex? he got baptized yesterday and also brother noynoy the one who walked after not walking for three years. they both were baptized yesterday. I was not able to go becaue I am not in that area anymnore. i was so sad, but i will see them again, one day. 

i found out that what was hurting my stomach was the water. not because it is not good but because i'm not used to the minerals are are in it. so i just have to buy distilled drinking water. hey, at least it tastes good!!(:

So, it has been raining soooooo much here! for all through the days ans all through the nights. just pours rain down. its fun, until we get soaked and we still have to procelyte... just kidding, its still fun cause everything is more fun in the Philippines. 

The other night, we were walking to our last appointment and this really tall really white american walked really fast by us. sister bitter and i just both stopped and then said, "did that really just happen?" so then for the next 7 minutes we chased him down and started to talk to him. we found out that he is actually a member and is inactive. and is here visiting his grandpa... yeah, and he is a runner or something. so thats weird. we invited him to church, but he didn't come. it was seriously one of the weirdest things that i have seen here. 

This week we got 10 investigators with baptisim dates!! there are two, well actually four that plan on marrying each other on december 1 and then getting baptized on december 25!!! it is so cool. we get to plan two weddings and then their baptisima1 I love how people are so willing to accept the gospel here. they are so humble and willing to follow what the savior would have them do!

This is our weekly baptisim chart. aren't we so crafty?

I came across a scripture the other day in personal study. it is in alma 37. its talking about the liahona and how it is a guide. it starts in verse 38 to 45. i love the promise that we get in verse 45. read it and then write me and tell me what you think(: I love the scriptures, they are sersiouldy so amazing. 

I am so blessed kag privledged to be here as a full time missionary to serve my heavenly father and Jesucristio. We are so blessed as members of the church to have the knowledge we do of eternal families and the plan of salvation. how great is it that we know that we can live forever with our families and live in the presence of our father in heaven. what a great blessing!!

Family, I love this gospel, and I love being here. I can tell that i am doing more good here than I would be doing at home. even though I miss all of yoiu so much!

i love you all, keep being awesome and writing me(:

love, your sister missionary,

 Sister Young

this is some pictures of a frog imprint in the concrete.

Family and Friends!!

Wow, what an exciting week!  

First of all Ijust want to thank all ofyou for the emails last week,they really cheered me up!! 

I got transfered again(: haha, My newcompanion Is Sister Bitter. SHeis great!! We have lots in common. We gotPut in a white wash area...so we don't know where anything is...but, the ward isgreat at helping us! 

The first night wewere in are new area, we got rrrrrrrrrrrrreeeeeeeeeeeaaaaaaaaaaaaalllllllllllyyyyyyyyyyyyyy  lost....Itwasso scary!!!! (sorry the space bar doesn't really work)  But We texted the sisters and they helped us! So all is okay.

The second day in our area,we had asked some police men where Barangay 20 was, and they told us the wrongway so then they came and picked usupand took us there...it wasquite the adventure!

I'm starting to pick up the language....Ican kindasay all that I want to in Illongo,,,But sometimesI get scared and I loseit...Ohwell, I just have accepted that dogs can speak Illongo better than I can haha.

I spoke in church yesterday about how to magnify your calling...last week was just preparing me(: hahahahahah. I'm such a loser(: Anyways, I love the ward I'm innow. THey are sooo great!! All so willing to come withus to teach lessonsand such. They are greatexamples ofmember missionaries!

I love allof you,You areso great!

Palangga ta kamo!

Love, your sister Missionary,

Sister Young

Emergency Transfered!

Well, This week has been crazy!! I got emergency transfered on Friday to Bacolod Central Zone! I have a new companion, Her name is Sister Libria, She is a native. I love her SOOOOO MUCH!!! We always joke about how I used to be a Philippina and then I used too much whitening cream, cause they have that here, and I had a leg job so I could be tall, and a nose job. (: she is the best! Its funny, too, because I am currently the Youngest missionary here in Bacolod, and she is one of the oldest, being 27. So, we always joke that she is MY sister OLD! hahahaha(: its so much fun with her! Its so nice to have a companion that is encouraging and loving! She is going to help me be fluent in the language too(: wa-hoo!

I'm still sick. We don't know what is wrong. Everytime that I eat My tummy hurts soooooooo Baaaaddd!! And I get really bad headaches. I am going to the doctor again tomorrow. I hope we can figure it out!

Leaving my First area, Tangub, was hard for me. I miss the people so much! They had just gotten warmed up to me, and then I left on a whim. I didn't even have time to say bye to Brother Noynoy or Brother Rex. I hope I will hear good things about them through the Grape vine! 

I like my new area though, Everyone is really friendly and welcoming! We had stake conference so EVERYONE and their dog got to meet me! They just kept telling me how beautiful I am. Haha, Its nice! (this is what it feels like to "turn heads") haha. 

We walk a lot in my new area, so hopefully I'll Lose all the weight I gained....hahahah, not... My companion always makes me eat rice! Its okay. I like rice. 

So, I don't have a lot to say this week... Sorry. OH! Except, my first day in this area, hahaha, we got like 6 new investigators because they wanted me, an american, to come into their house. I love the people here, there are so funny and cute!

OH! the apartment that we live in is like super huge. its 3 floors!! Sister foote, one of the sisters in my district in the mtc, lives there(: I love her! and out our balcony we have what looks like the dirty verde! (: its so nice to have a piece of home right out side my window! Except, the caribou like to slide in the river and "get baptized" cause they are completely emerged hahah(: I have a picture, I will show you! 

Well thats all I have this week. I love you all, and I know that God lives and loves us. He is completely aware of everything that we are going through, we just have to have faith in HIS plan, not ours, and we will be okay. 

Love you all!!(:

Love, your sister missionary,

Sister Young